The Joystrings
| Company type | Musical ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1963 |
| Founder | Joy Webb |
| Defunct | 1969 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Singles, EPs, Albums |
The Joystrings (initially credited as The Joy Strings) were a British Christian musical ensemble from the 1960s, fronted by Joy Webb, a Salvation Army officer with classical training in keyboard and vocals.
History
Following their appearance on BBC's Tonight show hosted by Cliff Michelmore, the group secured a deal with EMI Records. In 1964, they became the first pop band associated with the Salvation Army to achieve chart recognition with the singles "It's An Open Secret" and "A Starry Night." Principal members featured Joy Webb—who composed their debut hit—alongside Peter and Sylvia Dalziel, Bill Davidson, and Wycliffe Noble. Additional vocalists were occasionally drawn from cadets attending the William Booth Memorial Training College in London.
Among their notable recordings was an inventive rendition of "O Little Town of Bethlehem," which used the melody from The Animals' "The House of the Rising Sun" to create a unique fusion.
In September 2013, Sylvia Dalziel released her memoir titled The Joystrings: The Story of the Salvation Army Pop Group, commemorating half a century since the band's inception.
Wycliffe Noble passed away on 1 April 2017 at age 91. Joy Webb died on 1 October 2023, also aged 91.
Singles
- "It's An Open Secret" (1964) – reached Number 32 on the UK Singles Chart (Regal Zonophone: RZ501)
- "Million Songs" (1964)
- "A Starry Night" (1964) – attained UK chart position 34
- "All Alone" (1965)
- "The Only One" (1965)
- "No Time To Lose"/"Love That's All Around" (Epic Records, USA: 5-10195)
- "Christmas Can Be Every Day For You" (1966)
EPs
- The Joy Strings (1964)
- Have Faith in God (1965)
- Christmas with The Joy Strings (1965)
- Joy Strings abroad (1966)
- The song break (1967)
Albums
- Well Seasoned (1966) – Regal Zonophone LRZ4016 mono; SLRZ4016 stereo in the UK; released by EPIC Records in the US
- Carols Around The World (1967)
- Joystrings Restrung (2011)
- Joystrings Christmas Collection (2012)
Bibliography
- A.J. Gilliard, Joy and the Joystrings: The Salvation Army's 'Pop Group'', Lutterworth Press, 1967
- Joy Webb, Bridge of Songs, The Salvation Army, 2000, ISBN 085412683X
- Sylvia Dalziel, The Joystrings, The Salvation Army, 2013, ISBN 0854129065